Playing games in Washington

Copyright 2013: Houston Chronicle

Published 7:56 pm, Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Not the answer

Media sensationalism surrounding sequestration has by and large reflected the partisan interests on Capitol Hill, whose self-interested policies have led us into this mess. Opinion pieces, like that of Charles Krauthammer's "Claims of sequestration Armageddon are false" (Page B9, March 1), are correct in asserting that sequestration will not be the Leviathan that tanks America's economic recovery.

However, by focusing solely on who's right and who's wrong, we further obfuscate the real tragedy that the inability of politicians to collaborate on fiscal and economic issues is increasingly placing the security of all Americans at greater risk.

It has been over a decade since the ruthless, devastating attacks on the morning of Sept. 11 2001. But have we already forgotten the lessons we learned on that fateful morning?

The 9/11 Commission report notes that cyclical funding for defense spending was an example of how poor, reactive policy to crises led to weaknesses in homeland security.

Is the best policy for Americans now to slash the defense budget of our nation with across-the-board cuts and indiscriminate government furloughs? I don't think so.

And I don't think that there is any level-headed Democrat, Republican, or even Sen. Rand Paul, isolationist, who would publicly declare that the sequester is an effective approach to trimming our bloated bureaucracy.

America's politicians dropped the ball. And although several politicians have managed to grab key headlines (and no doubt millions in campaign funding) for their wildly partisan, obstructionist claims, our national security suffers.

Regarding "White House tours scrubbed" Page A3, Wednesday), I was not only disappointed but angry that children determined to see where their government functions were denied the opportunity to visit the White House.

The White House belongs to the people, as do the Capitol, the Supreme Court Building, the Library of Congress and other icons of our democracy. Students plan ahead for spring break. They save. They are excited that they are going to learn about the places where our democracy functions.

And of all the government buildings American citizens own in Washington, the White House is the quintessential embodiment of our democracy. To deny these children or anyone else access is wrong. To shatter their plans and hopes is an abomination.

I cannot imagine whining that some school children cannot visit the White House while other children are losing their WIC food benefits that provide them nutritious lunches and dinners. Perhaps we should cry out for those losing their housing in homeless shelters due to the sequester? Or maybe we should cry out for the veterans losing counseling at the VAs due to the sequester?

Should we cry out for losing 10 percent of the FAA traffic controllers at our airports due to the sequester?

Or should we cry out about closing small airports, thus hampering local businesses and towns due to the sequester?

Why not cry out for the 20,000 cuts at NIH, cutting important health and research projects due to the sequester?

Maybe we should cry out about border patrol cuts making it less safe due to the sequester.

It is obviously time for us to cry out to the House to stop the political posturing and deal with the sequester.